1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle accessories and to boating and trailer equipment.
2. Background Information
Recreational boating and fishing involving boats represents a significant segment of the leisure time activities of Americans.
A very large number of boats in this country are carried to and from various lakes and rivers and launched and retrieved via boat ramps. A problem relating to such an operation is that boat ramps are often both steep and slick. This combination of conditions often leads to, at the very least, difficulty in managing a boat launch or retrieval due to the loss of traction by the towing vehicle.
In worse cases, accidents, and even loss of life can accompany a loss of traction, or the measures often used to prevent same.
An accident involving a boat launching or retrieval can happen in several different ways. A first involves the launching phase, and arises when a boat is backed into the water, down a steep, and perhaps slick boat ramp. Inexperience of the driver, a greater-than-expected pull of gravity tending to force the vehicle and boat trailer more rapidly rearward than expected, a mistake in managing the vehicle""s accelerator, or simply a very slick surface of the boat ramp can, individually or in combination, cause the driver to be unable to stop the vehicle before it slides into the water, at least partially.
Another scenarios involves an attempt at retrieving the boat. Here again, at least some of the factors mentioned above can contribute to the driver losing the ability to move the vehicle, trailer and boat combination up the boat ramp, or even to prevent the same from sliding into the water.
A worst case scenario involves such a circumstance as just described, with one or more individuals standing on or near a rear bumper to increase traction (as is often seen at boating areas). The unpredictable reaction of the driver, combined with unexpected movements have been known to throw these xe2x80x9cridersxe2x80x9d from the vehicle and become caught as the vehicle slides into the water, with often catastrophic consequences.
Clearly, increasing weight of the vehicle, at least as is applied to the boat ramp through the rear wheels, is the best, most practical way to increase traction during a boat launch or retrieval operation. However, people should not be used as ballast for such operations. In addition, something which would provide effective weight to increase traction in any meaningful way would not likely be something that boaters would like to carry around with them.
In view of the above, it would well serve the interests of safety, and secondarily convenience, to provide some system or apparatus the use of which would have the effect of increasing traction between a boat towing vehicles rear wheels and a boat ramp. Such a system would ideally be one which does not involve transporting weighty objects or components to and from the boating location. Further still, substantially automatic operation would be a clear plus for such a system or apparatus.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle traction enhancement system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle traction enhancement system for use with vehicles used for launching or retrieving boats via boat ramps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle traction enhancement system for use with vehicles used for launching or retrieving boats via boat ramps, which system reversibly adds weight to the vehicle, affecting the pressure applied by the vehicle""s rear wheels to a boat ramp during launching or retrieval operations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle traction enhancement system for use with vehicles used for launching or retrieving boats via boat ramps, which system reversibly adds weight to the vehicle, affecting the pressure applied by the vehicle""s rear wheels to a boat ramp during launching or retrieval operations, yet does not require the transport of heavy objects or components to and from boating sites.
In satisfaction of these and related objects, the present invention provides a vehicle traction enhancement system, primarily intended for use with boat towing vehicles for increasing the traction between the vehicles wheels and the driving surface (usually a xe2x80x9cboat rampxe2x80x9d) during boat launching and retrieval operations.
The present system involves a holding tank mounted in the truck bed or trunk of a towing vehicle. One or more pumps and suitable plumbing is used to draw water into the holding tank during boat launching or retrieval operations. Once the launching or retrieval operation is complete, the water is expelled from the holding tank, and only the weight of the tank and associates accessories is left to carry about.
Certain embodiments of the present invention involve automated features, such as automatic holding tank level regulators, actuation switches, etc. The basic system of the present invention, however, in order to fall within the scope of the present invention, need only have a holding tank or bladder, and associated pump and conduit means for introducing to and removing water from the holding tank as needed for boat launching and retrieval operations.